Feed-water heater



Aug. 21,- 1934i A. scRlvENoR FEED WATER HEATER Filed March 30. 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FL ql.

.INVENTOR FEED WATER HEATER Filed March 30, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES lmrrnwr oFFicE My invention relatesto feed-water heaters for locomotives, and particularly to those heaterswhich utilize heat of the exhaust steam, and heat from the hot gases ontheir way from the fire-box to the stack.

It has for its object the providing of a heater which shall be built ata reasonable cost, which shall be easily installed in the front end of alocomotive, which shall be adapted for installation in front ends ofdiiferent diameters, which shall form a path for the feed-water in theflow of hot gases and of exhaust steam, and which shall absorb wasteheat in such amount as will greatly lower the cost of fuel per ton-mile.

My invention is an improvement on the feedwater heater for locomotivesdesigned by J. H. Kidwell, and patented by him under Number 1,567,514;December 29th, 1925. In the Kidwell heater, and in my heater, concentricbent tubes are placed in the path of the hot gases. The feedwater passesbetween the inner tube and the outer tube. Exhaust steam from thecylinders passes through the inner tube on its way to the stack.

A great desideratum of any feed-water heater utilizing the heat fromexhaust steam is that it shall not obstruct the flow of the steam so asto cause appreciable back pressure on the piston of the engine fromwhich the steam is taken. My heater provides ample passage for the flowof the steam without causing appreciable back pressure. This fact hasbeen proved by very carefully made tests.

In the drawings which accompany this specification, Figure I is avertical section on the axis of the locomotive smoke-box or front end,showing my heater in place, and also in vertical section. Figure II is avertical section of my heater in an erect position, and it also shows apart of the front end of the locomotive to indicate the relativeposition of the'heater therein. I i

In Figure I the numeral 1 indicates the shell of the locomotivesmoke-box; 2 the smoke-box doorring; 3 the opening to the stack, (thestack itself is not shown); and 4 the saddle of the cylinder block. InFigure II also the saddle is shown at 4.

On the exhaust steam outlet 5111 the cylinder block there is usuallymounted an exhaust nozzle, the opening in the end of which regulates theintensity of the steam blast under the stack. I remove the old exhaustnozzle, and in its place mount my exhaust nozzle 6.

My nozzle is the same as the standard nozzles in use, but it has inaddition flanged openings 7 and 8 on either side.

The top of the nozzle 9, in which is the outlet 10,

may be a separate cap as shown, or it may be integral with the body.Obliquely across the throat of the nozzle I fix a deflecting plate 11.This deflector presents a projected area to the flow of steamconsiderably less than the sectional area of the throat of the nozzle;so that steam can pass freely around the plate to the outlet 10 and tothe stack, while a part of it is deflected into the side opening 8 ofthe nozzle.

Mounted on the nozzle 6, and at the flanged side openings 7 and 8, isthe bent tube 16. The upper part 17 of this tube is in the form of anarc of a circle; the lower parts 18 form tangents to said circle; and tothe ends of the tangential portions I weld the short arms 20 and 21. Theends of the arms are flanged as at 22, and on the arms are the looseflanges 23. When the loose flanges 23 are bolted up to the flangedoutlets 'I and 8 of the nozzle 6, the tube flanges 22 form gasketsbetween them. If the flange bolts are loosened, the flanged arms 20 and21 may be rotated while the flanges 23 are still held in place. Thisjoint is what is known as a Vans tone joint. Arranged concentricallyabout the steam tube 16 is the water tube or water jacket 31. These twotubes are spaced and held apart at the top by the spacers 32, which maybe made of short sections of pipe, as shown; and which may beconveniently welded to the smaller tube 16. At its extremities the waterjacket 31, has tangential portions 19; and it is here spaced from thesteam tube 16 by the annular rings 33, which are welded to both tube 16and jacket 31 to completely close the annular space between them.

The bent tubes 16 and 31, forming the heater body, are shown in FigureII in an erect position sothat their form andarrangement may be easilyunderstood. When the heater is installed in a locomotive smoke box thesetubes stand in an inclined position, as in Figure I,

so that the exhaust steam leaving the nozzle 9 shall have anunobstructed path to the stack; and so that the heater may be installedwith ease, and be adapted to locomotives of more than one size.- Isecure the heater in the inclined position by means of the strap 36,which I. clamp around the tube 31, and the free end of which I'bolt tothe smoke-box shell by the bolt 25. In case of'needed repairs to tubes,superheater, or other equipment at the front end of the boiler, afterloosening the flanges 23, disconnecting water lines, and taking out thestrap bolt 25, the heater body can beswung down and out of-the way;

and as easily returned to its place when the repairs are completed.

Water connections 34 and 35 are made at the lower ends of the watertube. These are located on both sides of the heater, so that theconnections may be made on whichever side is most convenient. I haveshown the connections 34 on the tube-plate side of the heater, and theconnections 35 on the other side or front of the heater. The unusedconnections may be capped; or they may be used for drainage and wash-outconnections.

On the lower side of the arms 20 and 21 are drainage connections 41; andbetween these connections and the nozzle 6 are dams 42. the object ofwhich is to prevent any occasional flood oi condensate from passing thedams 42 and enter-;

ing the engine cylinder by way of the cylinder outlet 5.

The spark-arrester 43 is shown in its usual location. The diaphragmplate 44 is cut to fit around the heater. In Figure II 45, 45, indicatethe boiler tubes.

In the drawings I have shown the deflector 11 as a plate. The object ofthis plate is' to deflect steam to the steam tube 16. The deflectorcauses a differential in pressure between the two openings '7 and 8; andthisdiflerential causes a flow of steam through the tube. If there wereno deflector steam would enter the tube; but the results would not bethe same as less heat would be transmitted through'the tube to the watersurrounding it, and as the tube would be apt to become more or lessairebound. The establishing of this differential pressure is thereforeof value. It has already been noted that the back-pressure on the enginemust not be sensiblyincreased. Though I show a deflector in the form ofa plate 11, I can make it of other materials and forms;for instance, apiece of heavy wire screen set obliquely across the nozzle throat. Thewire screen will allow steam to pass to the stack, andwill at the sametime set up the differential between the inlet opening 8 and the outletopening 7. There will also be a difference in pressure at these twopoints due to the condensation of steam in the tube.

In operation: Feed-water enters and leaves the water tube 31 bytheconnections 34 and 35. The heater being located directly in the path ofthe products of combustion, heat is transmitted through walls of tube31-to the water in the annular space between tube 31 and steam tube 16.At the same time steam flows from the cylinder outlet 5, passes upwardthrough nozzle'fi; part is deflected by deflector 11 into the arm 210itube 16, and part passes the deflector 11 and goes to the nozzle opening10, and tothestack. The steam which enters tube 16 at opening} flowsaround the tube to, outlet 7; a part of it is condensed and theremainder goesout at nozzle opening 10. The path of the steamis'indicated by arrow In the drawings I have shown the steam tube 16and'the water tube 31 as if bent to form. It would be a very expensiveoperation to bend or forge tubes of such diameter to such radii; and inany event it will be necessary to add the tangential portions after thetube has been inserted within the outer tube; a possible, but again anexpensive operation. There have recently been placed upon the-markedforgedpipe bends with ends preparedfor' welding. I use these pipe bends,welding them'together to form the two curved tubes. The tangentialportions 18 and 19 are welded to the curved portions of the tubes. Theflanges 22 are formed on, or are welded to, the arms 20 and 21; theloose flanges 23 are slipped on to the arms; the drain connections 41are then welded to the arms 20 and 21; and the arms are then welded tothe tangential portions 18. The deflector plate 11 is carried by an armor rod 38, which may be riveted or bolted to the nozzle casting atboth'ends. Y In my drawings I have shown the upper end of the rod 38bent, and dropped intoa slot cut in the upper rim of the nozzle casting6.

My heater has been installed in a locomotive; and comparative tests havebeen made, with and without my heater. The results of a large numher ofsuch tests have shown an average increased boiler and superheaterefficiency of more than ten and one half per cent. These tests haveproved that my heater is simple in construction; that it is easy toinstall; that it utilizes the waste heat in the flue gases withoutinterfering with draft; and that it also utilizes Waste heat from theexhaust steam without. perceptibly. increasing the exhaust-pressure inthe cylinder. 1

In the drawings and specifications I have described the form of myheater as partly that of an arcof a circle, with tangents and arms. Theheater may be, of any convenient form; for instance, annular,elliptical, rectangular. My object is to use a shape-which it may beeasy to construct and which shall suitably conform to the space-which itis to occupy. The form of the in ner or smaller pipe is broadlyspeaking. that of a loop, and I have so referred to it in the claims. Ihave also referred to the body or main casting of the nozzle 6 as theexhaustpipe; since it is so l. A feed water heater comprising an exhaustpipe having a passage for steam therethrough; opposed branch pipesconnected to the exhaust pipe intermediate of its length; a deflector soarranged in the exhaust pipe as to deflect a part of the steamenteringthe exhaust pipe into one of the branches, and also so arrangedas to deflect steam entering the exhaust pipe by the other branch towardthe nozzle of the exhaust pipe; a looped steam pipe connected at itsends-to the branch pipes; a water jacket mounted concentrically upon thelooped steam pipe; and connections for connecting the water jacket intoa water line.

2. A iced water heater comprising an exhaust pipe having a passage forsteam therethrough;

opposedjbranch: pipes connected to the exhaust pipe intermediate itslength; a deflector so arranged in the exhaust pipe as to deflect a partof the steam entering the exhaust pipe into one of the, branches; alooped steam pipe connected at itsends tothe opposed branch pipes byswing joints; a Lwater jacket mounted concentrically upon the loopedsteam pipe; connections for connecting the water jacket into a waterline; and means for securing the looped and jacketed steam pipe inposition.

31A feed water heater comprising an exhaust pipe having a passage forsteam therethrough; opposed and horizontally disposed branch pipesconnected to the exhaust pipe intermediate its length; a deflector soarranged in the exhaust pipe as to deflect a part of the steam enteringthe exhaust pipe intoone of the branches; a looped steam pipe connectedat its ends to the opposed branch pipes by adjustable joints; a waterjacket mounted concentrically upon the looped steam pipe; andconnections for connecting the water jacket into a water line.

4. A feed water heater comprising an exhaust pipe having a verticalpassage for steam therethrough; opposed and horizontally disposed branchpipes connected to the exhaust pipe intermediate its length; a fixeddeflector so arranged in the exhaust pipe as to deflect a part of thesteam entering the exhaust pipe into one of the branches; 2. loopedsteam pipe connected at its ends to the opposed branch pipes; a waterjacket mounted concentrically upon the looped steam pipe; andconnections for connecting the water jacket into a water line.

5. A feed water heater comprising an exhaust pipe having a verticalpassage for steam therethrough; opposed and horizontally disposed branchpipes connected to the exhaust pipe intermediate its length; a fixeddeflector so arranged in the exhaust pipe as to deflect a part of thesteam entering the exhaust pipe into one of the branches; a looped steampipe connected at its ends to the opposed branch pipes; by means ofadjustable joints; a water jacket mounted concentrically upon the loopedsteam pipe; and water connections on the water jacket.

6. A feed water heater comprising an exhaust pipe having a verticalpassage for steam therethrough; opposed and horizontally disposed branchpipes connected to the exhaust pipe intermediate its length; a fixeddeflector so arranged in the exhaust pipe as to deflect a part of thesteam entering the exhaust pipe into one of the branches and also soarranged as to deflect steam entering the exhaust pipe by the otherbranch toward the nozzle of the exhaust pipe; a looped steam pipeconnected at its ends by swing joints to the branch pipes; a waterjacket mounted con centrically on the looped steam pipe; waterconnections on the water jacket; and means arranged to hold the loopedsteam pipe and the exhaust pipe in relative operating position.

'7. A feed water heater comprising an exhaust pipe having a passage forsteam therethrough; opposed branch pipes connected to the exhaust pipeintermediate its length; a looped steam pipe connected at its ends tothe branch pipes by means of adjustable swing-joints; a water jacketmounted concentrically on the looped. steam pipe; and water connectionson the jacket.

8. A locomotive feed water heater comprising: an exhaust pipe mounted onthe cylinder exhaust ports and in line with the stack; opposed branchpipes connected with the exhaust pipe intermediate its length; a loopedsteam pipe set up on and connected at its ends with the said branchpipes but inclined at an angle to clear the way between the exhaust pipeand the stack; and a water jacket mounted concentrically on the loopedpipe and provided with water connections.

9. A locomotive feed water heater comprising an exhaust pipe mounted onthe cylinder exhaust ports and in line with the stack; opposed branchpipes connected with the exhaust pipe intermediate its length; a loopedsteam pipe set up on and connected at its ends with the said branchpipes but inclined at an angle to clear the way between the exhaust pipeand the stack; a deflector so arranged in the exhaust pipe as to deflecta part of the steam entering the base of the exhaust pipe into one ofthe branch pipes; and a water jacket mounted concentrically upon thelooped steam pipe and provided with water connections.

10. A locomotive feed water heater comprising an exhaust pipe mounted onthe cylinder exhaust ports and in line with the stack; opposed branchpipes connected with the exhaust pipe intermediate its length; a loopedsteam pipe set up on and connected at its ends with the said branchpipes but inclined at an angle from the vertical to clear the waybetween the exhaust pipe and the stack; a deflector in the exhaust pipeproportioned and positioned so as to deflect a part of the exhaust steamentering at the base of the exhaust pipe into one of the branch pipesand also so proportioned and positioned as to deflect steam entering theexhaust pipe by the other branch toward the nozzle of the exhaust pipe;and a water jacket mounted concentrically upon the looped steam pipe andprovided with .Water connections.

11. In a locomotive feed Water heater, an exhaust pipe with blastnozzle, horizontally and directly opposed branch pipes connected withthe main exhaust pipe intermediate its length, an undivided looped steampipe connected at its ends to the branch pipes by means of adjustableswingjoints, and a water jacket mounted on the steam pipe.

ARTHUR SCRIVENOR.

